Rail-anchor



JOI-IN LUNDIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

i i l Vn; im-ANCHOR...

Speciiation of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 24:, 19270.

Application filed November 1.7, 1919. Serial No. 338,521.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, .loi-IN LUNDIE, a citi- 'ze'n of the United States,residing at New York, N. Y., have invented certain jnew and usefulImprovements in Rail-Anchors, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in anchors for the prevention ofcreeping of railroad rails.'

The idea has hitherto been prevalent that a rail anchor must not onlygrip the rail but must abut against the ti'e. As a matter of fact,unless a tie is well supported by ballast on the side opposite to thatonv which the rail anchor abuts, there isa tendency to displace such 'atie, this tendency increasing in proportion to a decreasing resistance.1t is true that one anchor may be placed to resist creeping` in onedirection while another is placed so as to resist creepingin theopposite direction, and thus one yof these two anchors is inoperativevwhile the other is resisting creeping in a given direction. Y f

One of the objects ofthe present 4invention, at least in its preferredform, is to provide a rail anchor which will resist the creeping of therail in both directions. Another object of theA invention is to' providea simple, practical and efficient rail anchor, for laccomplishing someorrall of the objects which appear herein, or other`v objects which maynot be specifically stated but which wili become apparent to skilledengineers in the art from the practical use of the invention.

These being among the preferred objects ofthe invention, the sameconsists of certain features 'of construction to be hereinafterspecifically described and then vclaimed with reference to a preferredembodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Figure lis a transverse section of a r'ailroad rail showing the presentimproved anchor applied thereto;

Fig, 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; and Y Fig. 3 isa sectionon the line'3-,-3, Fig. l, showing the improved .rail anchorvin use, that is to say, the 'ties and ballast are conventionallyrepresented .to attain that end.

Referring vto the drawings, the rail` a'nchor preferably comprisestw'oanchor members 10, l1, and tllee members are preferfor a purpose to behereinafter stated.

ably similar to each other so as to form twin :i i

members, thereby constituting a duplex anvfchor as it were. Inasmuch aswhentwo of the anchor members are preferably employed, one of them willact similarly to the other, and hence a'description of one member will.apply equally to the other, the presient specic description of partsvwill be con- Vlined toK a single member.

Anchor member 1 0 or lllcomprises a web 'or blade-like portion 12,1which is offco'nsiderable height and width as clearly shown in Fig.V 1,but each is comparatively thin as is apparent from the other figures.VPreferably each web orblade-like portion 12 upwardly from the outer edgeof the, web or blade 12. l Y

l 'Preferably this neck 14 merges into an `inwardly extending j afw 15which overhanO's V`the web or blade 12. The inner end of te jaw 15 ispreferably formed of a somewhat splieroidal shape or in the shape of anoblate spheroid, so as to provide a s'pheroidal rail engaging or bearingvsurfac`e16. The vcurvature ofthe surface 16 is in a directiontransverseof therail, but theshape of the under ,surface of the engagingend of the'- the 4spheroid surface of the 'jaw 15 and the Acurvedsurface ofthe jaw 19 iscompounded with the `curve of the curvedsurface18, so

vthat in thel preferred embodiment of the .invention lcomplementarycurved surfaces are provided for the jaws N15 and 19, All" of the abovedescribed parts are in one verltical plane. i

The web or blade-like portion12 is preferably formed with a recess o rdepression A in Vuo one face thereof which extends from a :line

theopposite edge thereof. Inasmuchr asthe 4anchor member .10 or 11 ispreferably .adjacent the outeredge ofthe portion y12 `to y 70 will havean upper and, preferably, outwardly slantin'gedge 13. Preferably alsomember 10`or11 isp'rovidedwith a neck 14 which is offsetfrom the edge 13and extends `pose to be described.

n planesof the anchor.

between the engaging and bearing surfaces desirable to provide means forreinforcing the same. To this en dthe web or blade-likeV portion 12 isprovided with substantially parallel reinforcing ribs 21, 22, whichextend vertically from the lower edge of the portion 12 through aconsiderable distance of the height of the vsaid portion 12, and

these ribs are formed on oppositesides of the portion 12 near the outeredge thereof along hnes where possibly greaterv stresses vmay have to betakenl up by said portion 12.

Also substantially parallel horizontal reinforcing ribs 23, V2&1 extendalongthat face of the portion 12 which ,is provided with the verticalrib 22, said ribs 23 24 commencing at the rib 22 and terminating at theinner *edgev of the portion 12.

At a place intermediate of the ribs 23, 24 the web or blade-like portion12is provided with a slot or aperture -25 which extends horizontally ofthe portion A12 in substantial parallelismv with the horizontal ribs 23,24. The material around the aperture 25 is preferably reinforced as byybosses 31, to also provide raised seatsV for the washers ofthereonnecting bolt which is to pass throughsaid aperture. Above theaperture 25 the web or blade-like portion 12 is provided with a bore orhole 28 vwhich extends horizontally thereof, preferably at a point notmuch below the jaws 15 and 19. This ho1e28 is for the purposeofreceiving a bolt, and it extends 'transversely of the vdirection inwhich the aperture 25 extends through the thickness of the web orblade-like portion 12, for pur Preferably the described featuresrof eachlanchor member are embodied in an` integral structure, somewhat in thenatureof a more or less flattened, specially constructed metal f plate,except that where connecting, bearing or engaging surfaces are formedthe poritions of the anchor member at these parts is preferably thickerthan the remainder. It

ywill be observed that under the preferred ,construction of theinvention, thespheroidal aws 15 andv 19 are provided with rail engag-Aing or bearing faces which are rounded transversely, such engaging`surfaces being lsemielhptical 1n cross-section, and being arrangedvcomplementary to each other, thus providing a symmetrical relationshipbetween the rail engaging andbearing surfaces of theV two jaws of eachanchor member, and providing a mmlmum` area of contact in all verticalThe gap or mouth ofthe jaws 15and 19 is so proportioned that rail anchormember. Suchbcing the case, the opposite curved or rounded surfaces ofthe jaws 15 and 19 will gradually diverge fromjeach other in oppositedirections away from the central vertical plane or cross-section of thetransverse gap or mouth between thejaws for a purpose to be hereinafterstated. j

Although one of the described anchor members or its equivalent mayengage with the base of the rail at one point along the line of therail, while another anchor member such as described may engage the railat another point' along its length, it is pref ferred to assemble tw,oanchor members, so as to provide a twin or duplex anchor to engage therail at the opposite flanges of its base. To this end the anchor membersare mated, that is to say, the recesses or depressions 20, if they areformedin said members, are caused yto face each other by firstoverlapping the two anchor members so i that the jaws of each memberwill be placed 1 in opposition to the other, ythat is, so that Y themouths or gaps between themwill open toward each other, or at least withthe members so overlapped that the jaws will extend as statedgtheoverlapping portions of the webs or blades 12 are placedin contact witheach other so as to register the aperture 25 in one anchor member withthat in the other. vA bolt 2Gris then passed throughlthe regis teringapertures 25, 25 and a nut 27 is engaged with the threaded end of thesaid bolt, and the nut tightened up sufiiciently to hold the two memberstogether. Likewise a bolt 29 is passed through the registered holes 28,28 in the two anchor members, and a nut 30 tuined onto the threaded ,endof said bolt.. It will be seen that in the preferred Vembodiment of theinvention the boltv 26, v

passingvonly through the thickness of the anchor, will be much shorterthan the bolt 29, and that the two bolts will be disposed substantiallyat right angles to each other, for the preferred method of tighteningthe anchor and holding it on the rail. When anchor members of thedescribed construction are placed together, it will be seen that theAdepressions or recesses 20 in each member Awill receive the web,or'blade ,of the other member, when the bolt 26 is suflicientlytightened, and that thus the longitudinal axisof u'the bolt 29 willextend in a plane which intersects the preferably shorter bolt 26 atabout its mid-length. Y

Preferably the described anchor is so constructed as to engage with theopposite side flanges of the rail base, and such a rail anchor being.provided with the parts assembled by means of the bolt 26, it is butr`necessary in applying theanchor tothe rail to move the blades or webs12alongeach Yother and to preliminarily engage the jaws e of the twomembers with the opposite izo Y lio nectar-,aai

flanges. Before this preliminaryadju'stnient to the rail takes place itwill, ofcourse, be necessary to remove some of the ballast between theties so that the anchorbe positionedy properly. When the anchor has beenapplied to .the base by adjusting it through the i'i'ie'di'un'iof theb'olt 26,if left free, gravity will hold it in a vertical planeintersecting tlie rail R at right angles. This may be assumed to be thenormal position of the anchor on the rail except that the ain,-

chor has not as yet been tightened upto the rail. 130113,29 is nowinserted through the alin'ed holes 28, 2Sv and the nut secured thereon,`the nut being tightened yup suincieiitly so as yto move the jaws ofthetwo members of thel anchor towardveach other,` and to cause them tobite more or less upon' the base fianges of theiail. Preferably theposition of the anchor will be such asto be free of theties; I aroundthe anchor and is well packed vopposite the blades and intheline of the*rails between succeeding ties.

within proper -limits diie tothe creeping.` of therail. V" 'i The railanchor of the preferred construction will consist of two identicalorsimilar parts so designed vthat they will not only in; tei-act iii,Of'rippingT a rail tightly, but `what is more ii'iiportant, willinteract so that" the resistance torail creeping-.will be offered byboth parts ofthe anchor at'the same time. J It will be seen thatwhenfthe rail tends to' creep,l Y

the gii'ipof thej tightens gradually in accordan-ce with theincreasedcreep of rail, and inasmuch as the bearingand gripping surfaces of the jaws formed preferably as j last, present interactingresisting surfaces te the ballast, which resistanceV j )asse's throughthe 'ties to the adjacent ballast. The anchor 'pai-takes Vof Van angularmovementfin bothY directions of the creep ofthe rail,I and the reverse,symmetrically disposed, curved surf.`

faces of the jaws rolling,`as itwere, onthe opposite surfaces of thebase flangesof `the rail establish va forcer couiple, which acts theIgreater the more the anchor is tipped from its normal vertical plane',whichhas been ex,- plained to be that fplanefwhich Vthe anchor woiild'becaused tojtakelbyfgravity when left` free toy hang on' therailfandibefore Mthe vanchor is tightened up and the ballast replaced.As the transverse gaps or mouths' Ballast is 'now' placed .in

, Y The ballast: will, of course, so hold the anchor that itea'n yieldbetweenthe jaws are defined by 'curved sur'- faees whicharepreferably'of semi-elliptic erossfisection, and as lthe said surfacesnare symmetrically outward from thev central verticalv plane of theanchor, it is apparent that whenthe rail gradually creeps in one or theother direction, the aiichor is Vgradually tipped through aneverincreasing angle, and

thevgreater the extent of creep the greater the angle, so thatthe curvedjaw surfaces tend to pinch upon the base flanges withr ever increasing'tenacity.

The, described inventionl isobviously susceptibli-i.` ofv al widel"range ofmodification, rwhether or not a single anchor member is usedby itself or two members are assembled for mutual interaction, and itisclearthat the'two members when assembled `may be"as semble'd ybydifferent means and in different ways, and that they may be differentlyconstructed, vall .without departing from the spirit and scope"y f theinvention as expressed in the claimsx` Y Y i That I claim as new :A

' 1. A rail anchor,comprising, in combination, means "for gripjii-ng therail Vin either t direction of its creep,"and anchorage 'means creep oftherailto overcome' the resistance ofthe ballast, the entirefaiichor isrocked and Asaid gripping means is caused to automatically tighten itsgrip on the rail.

A rail anchor, previdedwith means for automatically grippingthe rail,the influencent the creep of the rail in either direction, ysaid anchorcomprising two substantially 'identical ballast-engaging inembers. a i,.a

A"r ail anchor, ,provided with means fory automatically gripping therail, by the influenceof ith-e creep of the rail in either direction,Vsaid anchorjcomprising twin ballast-engaging blades. j, y i

`4i. A rail anchor, provided with `means for automatically grippingth'e'i'ail, bythe influence of the; creepfofthe'v rail,`said aneher`comprising twin, oyerIapP'iiig, roadbedfrcxiigagingblades.` v .j y Y l l5. rail anchor, proyided with means for automatically gripping the lrail,fby the ioidfiigraifi-bas@ nipping jaws. ,t .e u 6. A, rail anchor,comjirising vspheroidal jaws for gripping the opposite side fiange's ofthe rail-base with a minimum area of Vtherefor for engagement only withthebalf' last, whereby, owing to the tendency of the "infiuence', thecreep ot the rail,v said `an- Chor comprising'two substantiallyidentical'` roadbed'- engaging -members havingfsphe contact in allvertical planes ofthe anchor,-

and means for tightening', the gripfby ``the action of the creep of theiai1the contact points of sai-d jaws being locatedsubstantiallyinthejyertical plane of ysaid meaii`s.`, e

"7.l A rail anchor, comprising means for gripping the Opposite sideflanges of the age inthe ballast. l Y

9. A rail anchor', comprising spheroidal l jaws for engagingthe rail,and bridging meansextended for a considerable distance downwardly withrespect to saidjaws for obtaining a substantial depth of anchorage.'

inuthe ballast. Y v

10. A rail anchor', having spheroidal jaws, arranged in substantiallysymmetrical relationship, for gripping o'ppositefianges of therail-base.

11. A rail i anchor,` comprising substantially identicalmembersi:`orinedA for engagement-with the opposite flanges oftherailbase, the, lower portions of said members being arranged to press`upon each other when the railcreeps in either direction. i

12. A rail anchor, comprising similar members, for embedment in theballast outv of contact with the ties, and having f railbase grippingportions, said members being mutually opposed in the direction of thecreep of the rail to obtain interaction of said members in eitherdirection, and'each of said members being at least substantially 'aswideas the rail, so as to extend for a substantial `distance under therail, and means forclutching and securing Vsaid gripping portions uponthe rail. i. f

c 13. A rail anchor, comprising mutually opposed, similar,plate-members, for embedment in the ballast, having rail-base grippingportions,`and being placed ilatwise against each other so as to overlap,said plate-members being separable transversely thereof, and means forclutching and ,securing said gripping portions upon the rail.

14:.- A vrailv anchor, 5 comprising similar members, for embedment in.vthe ballast out of contact with the ties, andhaving railbase grippingportions, and said members beingmutually opposed inthe direction of thecreep ofthe rail to obtain interaction of-,said members ineitherrdirectioina fastening connectingthe lower endsof said members andpermitting the transverse separation of said members, and means forclutchingy and securing said gripping portions upon the rail.

v15. A rail anchor, vcomprising similar and for biting upon the rail.

plate-members forvembedment in the ballast forbiting uponV the rail,said members overlapping one another. Y n n V17. A rail anchor,comprising ,similar members for einbedmeiit in the ballast and forbiting upon the rail, said members overlapping one another, and beingpositively connected together at two points of each of them. l A Y l Y18. A rail anchor, oomprising mutually opposed members, each of which isat least substantially as wide as the rail,'said members havingrail-baseA gripping jaws, and being materially extended below the jawsand overlapping each other for a substantial yportion of their area in aplane vat approximately right angles to the rail.

'19. A rail anchor, comprising twin vrailbase gripping members, havingroad-bed engagingY portions, free `Jfrom engagementV with theties, andarranged. to mutually interact and'bear one upon the other.

, 2O.V A rail anchor, comprising twin rail- VV,base gripping members, Yhaving kopposed rail'land the ballast, means forholdingthem i linassci'nbledy `using position, and additional meansfor iixingvthem ltionu on the rail.

23. n a rail anchor, 1n combination, a

invaifclarnping. posipair of substantially identical blade-likeV membersfor conjointlyV engaging the rail and the ballast, means for holdingtheml in -assembled using position, and additional means for fixingthem'lin a clam-ping position yu on the rail. f Y 1 24. n Va, railanchor, in combination, a pair of members for. conjointly engaging therail andL fthe'ballast, means for adjustably holding them in assembledusing position, and additional means Vfor iixing them in a clampingposition upon the rail.

25.y In a rail anchor, `in combination, a

4pair of members forconjointly engaging the railand the ballast, ymeansfor holding them in assembled using position, and additional means forfixing them in a clamping positionupon the. rail, the combinedmeans'comprising bolts arranging in angular lrelation with respect toeach other.I

26. Inv a rail anchor, vanintegral member having spheroidaljaws,'arranged infsubstantial symmetry to lengage the rail-said memberbeing of blade or plate-form of considerable. breadth. and heightbeneath said jaws and disposed inV approximately the plane of theContact surfaces of said jaws transversely of the rail.

27. In a rail anchor, a member comprising means to engage the rail andmeans to engage the roadbed, said member having boltholes arranged oneabove the other in angular relation. n

28. In a rail anchor, a member comprising means to engage the rail andmeans to engage Jche roadbed, said member having bolt-holes rarrangedone above the other in angular relation, the upper hole beingconsiderably longer than the'lower one.

29. A rail holding member of a rail 15 anchor, conslsting of anelongated and rela JOHN LUNDIE.

